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Country: Mashriq

Islam and enlightenment

Anyone in Europe calling for Islam to finally go through a phase of enlightenment should first pause for critical reflection on our own concept of Enlightenment, writes the prominent Islamic studies expert Ulrich Rudolph More

Climate change consequences for the Islamic world

The countries attending the Climate Change Conference in Marrakesh are ready to commit themselves to the fight against global warming. Even if greenhouse gas emissions do begin to decrease, however, the climate change already underway will have devastating consequences for the host country and for the rest of the Arab-Islamic world. By Stefan Buchen More

Marital traditions in the Islamic world

The number of arranged marriages in the Middle East and North Africa is decreasing. Matrimony between cousins is still widespread, but matches of this kind now account for at most a quarter of all weddings. A growing number of young people find their partners without mediation; marriage for love is their ideal. By Martina SabraMore

Secularism in the Islamic world

In the second part of his essay on secularism in the Islamic world, Saudi analyst Khalid al-Dakhil addresses the ready confusion, found particularly in Islamic writings, of secularism as a concept and separating religion and the state as a legal-political reality. What is the difference? More

Slavoj Zizek’s exploration of Islam and modernity

Unlike most of his published work, Slavoj Zizek′s latest essay on Islam and modernity is not left-wing at all. Rather surprisingly, he is favour of restricting the mobility of refugees within Europe and defends a whole range of Eurocentric attitudes. By Tarkan Tek

Eco-tourism in Jordan

The Feynan EcoLodge in southern Jordan is one of the few socially and ecologically sustainable tourist destinations in the Middle East. The project, managed and run by a group of local Bedouin, gives visitors an intriguing insight into a culture in transition. Claudia Mende reports from Feynan More

Political discourse in the Arab world

The author and political analyst Majed Kayali criticises Arab intellectuals for defaming democracy, which, despite everything, is still in his opinion the most effective system of government and society humanity has thus far devisedMore

Islam and violence

Does Islam have a violence problem? With their terror in the name of Islam, the jihadists have plunged an entire world religion into a crisis of legitimacy. Although Islamic scholarship has mechanisms at its disposal to limit the violence, these are no longer effective in this current era of globalisation. By Claudia MendeMore

Noam Chomsky in interview

Former MIT professor and philosopher Noam Chomsky is widely regarded as one of the world's leading intellectuals. Undoubtedly, Chomsky's word has weight. Emran Feroz interviewed him on Barack Obama's political legacy in the Middle East, the deal with Iran and the refugee crisis

Peace and justice in Islam

Associating progressive social policies with Islam may unsettle some, yet the parallels are there and offer many possibilities. A contribution to the debate on religion and human rights by Hakan AltinayMore

Germany and Islam

Many people these days are asking whether Islam and Muslims belong to Germany. In her recent book "Being German, Becoming Muslim", the Turkish anthropologist Esra Ozyurek provides an answer. Her results are more than clear. Interview by Emran FerozMore

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Most Recent Photo Essay

Fleeing war-torn Syria, painter Majd Kara found himself in Lithuania where half the population says they refuse to help asylum-seekers. Now holding his second exhibition, Kara is changing the country's attitude. By Karolis Vysniauskas